What does interception mean?
Interception is the act of stopping, diverting, or taking control of something before it reaches its intended destination. The word is especially common in aviation, military operations, computing, telecommunications, and law enforcement. An air defence system may perform an interception, while a government agency may record the interception of a telephone or radio communication. In American football, an interception is a defensive play in which a player catches a pass intended for an opponent. The term generally conveys deliberate intervention: something is caught, stopped, or redirected rather than allowed to continue normally. Interception can have a legal or security dimension, especially when communications are involved, but it can also be neutral when describing a technical manoeuvre or successful defensive play.
nounThe act of stopping, preventing, or seizing something before it reaches its intended destination. It may refer to intercepting a communication, a vehicle, a flight, or a trajectory.
- The action of preventing something from reaching its intended destination by stopping or diverting it.
- The act of secretly listening to or seizing communications, especially messages, calls, or other transmissions.
- In sport, the act of taking possession of a pass or catching an opponent who is attempting to advance the ball.
"Security forces successfully intercepted the suspicious aircraft before it entered restricted airspace."
"The interception of the radio message allowed the agency to locate the missing aircraft."
"Her quick interception of the pass gave the team possession deep in enemy territory."
The plural is used for separate acts of interception.
"The system recorded several interceptions of unauthorised radio traffic."
From mathematics to air defence, interception means getting in the way before something can pass through.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does interception come from?
Interception was formed in the 16th century from the Latin intercipere, meaning “to seize between” or “to intercept,” with the suffix -ion forming a noun of action. The Latin verb combined inter-, meaning “between” or “among,” with capere, meaning “to take.” English interception originally referred to the seizure of goods or property and later came to include the stopping or examining of people, communications, and moving objects.
How interception is actually used
The word is formal or technical and is common in aviation, military, communications, law enforcement, and sport. In computing and telecommunications, it can describe either examining traffic or preventing a message from reaching its intended recipient.
Easily confused with interception
Interception means stopping or diverting something before its destination, whereas interjection means inserting a remark abruptly into a conversation.
Interception involves intercepting something, while interceding involves pleading on another person's behalf.